Issue 1 July. Juillet. 2014
In this issue
Question of the Month
Sacred Thought by Hidayet Abbad
Le Ramadan en Bref by Imam Ahmed Limame The Point of Ramadan by Sheikh Hesham
Crossword Challenge #1 Sheikh’s Corner & Editor’s Note
Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem
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would have accumulated over the previous year on a piece of paper and would observe how my behavior would change as this blessed month neared and then departed. This would allow me to see which faults are coming from the
whispers of Shaytan (Satan) and which are coming from my own Nafs. Perhaps, the most interesting side effect of this change in
atmosphere and behavior is the liberation of the mind.
I recall listening to one of my favorite speakers talk about oppression and its ability to destroy our spirituality as it imprisons our thoughts.
Under oppression and abuse
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.
- Qur’an, 51:55
Sacred Thought
By Hidayet Abbad
A married man who is fasting begins his prayer.
Once he reaches his first salam, his salah is no longer valid. When he reaches his second salam his fasting has become invalid. After his prayer the man looks before him and sees that his wife becomes instantly divorced. How did this happen?
Answer will be revealed in next month’s issue insha’Allah!
Send your answer to [email protected] with the subject "Question of the Month", your name, and phone number. A prize will be awarded to a winner every month!
“As the days go on, you become immersed in this spiritual space both online and offline which allows you to grow in this Deen…”
As Ramadan approaches I find it intriguing to
observe this common shift in behavior and habits within my entourage.
Many of us, I am sure of it, have already noticed that as soon as the first of the month hits, the Facebook profile pictures start changing. The statuses become more and more focused on Quran and Islamic reminders, the posts are generally more
beneficial and overall everything takes a turn down ‘the outwardly pious’
lane. As the days go on, you become immersed in this spiritual space both online and offline which allows you to grow in this Deen and focus on moving forward towards the improvement of ourselves.
And so, I have always indulged myself in writing down all of the bad habits I
use of this blessing.
Personally, I use that feeling of closeness to God as a source of motivation to keep it up throughout the year. God knows how hard it is for many of us to stay in that liberated state of mind.
Whether it be thoughts of career, school, injustice in the world, marriage or whatever else, it becomes easy to be engulfed in such matters to the point of neglecting our spiritual health and distancing ourselves from God.
Although this is nothing but a reflection, there is profound advice first and foremost to myself and then to our readers to try and take advantage of the Ramadan spirit to form habits which will allow us to continue progressing after this important month and most importantly to maintain that
consciousness of God which is essential to
anything that we do in this religion.
caused by the Nafs when it is invested in its own
satisfaction rather than the satisfaction of its Creator.
When the majority of our thoughts are directed towards something that is neither God nor for the sake of God it leads us on this never-ending quest of relentless fighting. Yet, when Ramadan arrives, a lot of these battles cease and you are left with this sort of peace of mind: one that cannot be described
accurately and demands to be experienced in order to be understood.
We might be focused on the hardships of fasting, keeping up with prayer, helping the community and all other Islamic duties but I believe the beauty of
Ramadan is in being able to realize the peace that is brought by fulfilling these religious obligations. Not only do we get to see our actions and intentions change from pre Ramadan to post Ramadan period but we also start having these feelings of nostalgia when this month leaves us.
The idea that a month of not eating leaves us with the need for more would be completely strange to any other but the one who has experienced its benefit is truly amazing.
This is why I believe it is important to make good
“When the majority of our thoughts are directed towards
something that is neither God nor for the sake of God it leads us on this never-ending quest of relentless fighting.”
all you can think of is the abuser or the oppressor and nothing else. You are
consumed by such thoughts day and night, before you sleep or when you wake up, your mind is entirely invested in thoughts which should otherwise be invested in God.
It led me to think about the less obvious forms of
oppression: the oppression
Au nom d’Allah, le Tout Miséricordieux, le Très Miséricordieux. Le Prophète paix et salut à lui, accueille le Ramadan avec joie :
Allah, soit loué son Nom, nous offre des saisons bénies où nous récoltons des
belles rétributions
innombrables et inédites.
Dans ces saisons privilégiées Allah aussi nous permet de nous rivaliser dans
l’application des bonnes œuvres. Le Ramadan est parmi les périodes de l’année qu’Allah a privilégiées. Ce mois est en effet honoré par Allah à plus d’un titre. Il fut le mois où Allah a révélé le Coran; Allah dit : « Le mois de Ramadan est celui au cours duquel le Coran a été révélé pour guider les
hommes dans la bonne direction et leur permettre de distinguer la Vérité de
l’erreur. » Le Ramadan a aussi l’honneur d’être la période où s’effectue un acte
d’adoration qui constitue un des cinq piliers de l’Islam, le jeûne, et une occasion d’absolution de péchés. Il est aussi honoré par la nuit de la Destinée, « En vérité, Nous avons révélé le Coran dans la nuit de la Destinée. Et quelle merveilleuse nuit que la nuit de la Destinée ! » Une nuit
Le Ramadan en Bref
By Imam Ahmed Limame
dont la prière (nocturne) vaut plus que la prière pendant mille mois : « La nuit de la Destinée vaut plus que mille mois réunis !»
Le Prophète, paix et salut à lui, montrait une grande joie pour l’avènement du Ramadan, et, comme le mentionne al-Sahih (le recueil authentique) d’al- Boukhari, il partageait
cette bonne nouvelle avec ses compagnons en disant :
« Chanceux serviteurs que vous êtes! Vous avez l’occasion de vivre un mois béni où les portes du Paradis sont ouvertes, les portes de l’Enfer sont fermées et les démons sont enchaînés ». Le Ramadan est un mois de pardon par
excellence; Allah pardonne chaque nuit et absout des péchés des humains et les sauve de l’Enfer, et, vers la fin, on assiste à la nuit d’absolution et de la rédemption, c’est la dernière nuit de Ramadan où Allah, soit loué son Nom, pardonne tous les jeûneurs, femmes et hommes.
(continued)
Le Ramadan est également une occasion de pardon des anciens péchés, on lit dans le hadith : « Celui qui aura l’occasion de vivre le mois de Ramadan et n’obtiendra pas la rémission de ses péchés (par le biais des bonnes œuvres), qu’il pleure sa ruine! ». Alors, nous devons nous préparer pleinement pour accueillir ce mois béni;
nous devons chercher à savoir ce que le Prophète, paix et salut à lui, faisait durant ce mois et comment il le faisait, on ne sait jamais si on va vivre jusqu’au
prochaine Ramadan ou non, un nombre de personnes, comme vous savez, ont jeûné avec nous l’an passé et ils ne sont plus avec nous cette année! Alors, accueillons le Ramadan avec des cœurs tranquilles et
pleins d’enthousiasme, comme faisaient nos
prédécesseurs bien-aimés qui priaient Allah durant six mois de leur donner longue vie pour pouvoir jeûner le
Ramadan et bénéficier de ses innombrables tmérites et, après le Ramadan, priaient Allah d’accepter les bonnes œuvres qu’ils auront accomplies durant le Ramadan.
Les Compagnons du Prophètes constataient un changement clair dans le quotidien du Prophète qui se montrait plus actif dans l’adoration et plus rigoureux comme le raconte son épouse Aîcha Qu'Allah l'agrée : « Quand la dernière décade de Ramadan
commençait, le Prophète avait l’habitude de passer les nuits en prières et éveillait les membres de sa famille, afin qu’ils ne ratent pas les bénédictions et les
miséricordes qui y descendent à flot, redoublait d’efforts et serrait son Izar
(pagne).» L’expression serrer son Izar (pagne) signifie qu’il s’appliquait et luttait
intensément dans l'adoration. Il est aussi dit que cela signifie qu'il se retirerait des femmes.
La plus importante bonne œuvre durant le mois de Ramadan est bel et bien le jeûne; Allah dit : « Le jeûne vous est prescrit comme il a été prescrit aux peuples qui vous ont précédés, afin que vous manifestiez votre piété. » Ensuite, il faut commencer par éviter ce que Allah ordonne d’éviter, car ceci est plus important que d’accomplir ce que Allah ordonne
d’accomplir, alors il faut de toute évidence éviter les péchés durant le mois de
Ramadan, et veiller à ce qu’on soit parmi ceux qui auront approfondi leur piété et ranimé leur foi et acquis davantage la certitude dans les versets d’Allah et Son Livre. Le
musulman doit en effet rompre avec les banalités et les
turpitudes de ce monde-bas et s’atteler et se concentrer sur la récitation, l’apprentissage, la méditation et la
compréhension du Coran.
Il faut dire que celui qui se prépare au jeûne, il le fait en rompant avec toute chose qui dévie son attention à autre chose que les actes
d’adoration et qui perturbe sa concentration, car il doit jeûner corps et âme, le
Prophète dit : « Le jeûne est un bouclier. Lorsque l’un de vous jeûne, qu’il ne prononce pas de paroles obscènes et qu’il ne se mette pas en colère. Si quelqu’un l’insulte ou l’agresse, qu’il dise : « Je jeûne » deux fois. » Il dit aussi : « Celui qui n’abandonne pas le
mensonge et les mauvaises actions, alors Dieu n’a pas besoin qu’il abandonne sa nourriture ni sa boisson.» Un de nos prédécesseurs disait : « Attention de n’avoir de ce mois de Ramadan que la soif et la peine corporelle durant la nuit, mais soyez de ceux qui le raniment et y raniment leurs âmes. »
Nous devons alors profiter du mois de Ramadan pour ranimer nos âmes et non, comme certains jeunes font, passer les nuits sur Youtube et Facebook, et les jours sur les lits, et ainsi ne pas faire la prière prescrite qui est le deuxième piler de l’Islam et plus importante que le jeûne.
Notre jeûne doit être un véritable jeûne en bonne et due forme, un jeûne qui nous donnera un élan spirituel durant toute l’année, et de quoi nourrir nos âmes.
Les bonnes œuvres durant le mois de Ramadan
comprennent les actes et les abstentions; les actes à accomplir comprennent, mis à part le jeûne, la prière durant la nuit,
la fréquentation des
mosquées, la récitation du Coran au complet et la souvenance abondante de Allah et la charité; les
abstentions, elles,
comprennent la rupture avec tous les désires banals durant le mois de Ramadan. Ceux-là sont des plus
importants éléments qui doivent jalonner notre quotidien durant ce mois béni.
Je prie Allah que
la connaissance dont Il nous honorée nous soit bénéfique et de faire don de la
connaissance bénéfique, et de nous permettre de jeûner le Ramadan avec en bonne et due forme, dans la foi et la sincérité et qui sauve notre chair de l’Enfer. Amen.
“Allah pardonne chaque nuit et absout des
péchés des humains et les sauve de l’Enfer”
Naturally we prefer specific days, months and seasons, albeit for different reasons.
Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, has decreed that some times and places are preferred over others. While our preference to certain times is generally tied to special
occasions, certain weather conditions or even economic reasons, Allah’s preference to specific places and times is always tied to His Mercy, Forgiveness and Generosity As Muslims seeking the pleasure of Allah, we know that we consistently fall short of our duties to Him. Even if we were to exert all of our effort and energy, we would soon realize that no volume of actions could truly compare to Allah’s bounties over us.
Attempting to enumerate such bounties will prove to be futile. Allah is Most Generous, and there is no doubt about that. Yet, out of His Infinite Generosity, He has also decreed special seasons where rewards are multiplied beyond human
comprehension. How could the worship of a single night be worth that of a thousand months?
Ramadan, by far, is the most special of the divinely-
ordained seasons. It is our annual spiritual getaway; our spiritual retreat and boot camp for our bad habits and actions. It is not merely about refraining from food, drink and other invalidators (this is the
easy part and even children engage in it). The key
challenge is to go above and beyond being thirsty and hungry. Dieting is not the goal of Ramadan. As Allah, the Exalted, mentioned in the verse of fasting, the goal is to achieve Taqwa. Taqwa is often translated as fear. While this definition is correct in certain contexts, it is not entirely accurate especially not in the context of the verse of fasting. It is hard to find one word to describe Taqwa, even in Arabic. It is said the great companion Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) described Taqwa as “to submit to Allah so that He is not disobeyed, to remember Allah so that He is not
forgotten, and to thank Allah so no ingratitude is shown to Him.” In other words, Taqwa is be dutiful to Allah in all sense of the word.
In examining the Prophetic traditions about fasting, we find the narrations about abstaining from the physical (food, drink, etc…)
invalidators. In addition, there are other narrations speaking of maintaining good
conduct, remaining peaceful and serene and not
engaging in malice acts and speech. While we are
requested to fast and increase our prayers, charity
“Ramadan, by far, is the most special of the divinely-ordained seasons. It is our annual spiritual getaway; our spiritual retreat and boot camp for our bad habits and actions.”
and reading of the Quran;
there is still a great emphasis on purifying one’s soul and drawing closer to fellow human kind as well. Ramadan is a revolution against all vice and a promotion of all virtue. This should be kept in mind as we prepare for the special season.
And speaking of
preparation, it is customary in Muslim-majority countries for people to prepare for Ramadan by buying and consuming more food and a more variety of it. The irony! Others use the time in this month to follow game shows and sitcoms.
For Muslims in the West, we are kept busy by the moon-sighting debates. All of these are distractions and detractors. We have to focus and recognize that it is only 30 days. If we do not make the most of it, we will have to wait for another year if Allah wills.
An added challenge for us this Ramadan (and for the
True Point of Ramadan
By Sheikh Hesham
next few years) is the long and hot days. This requires more attention and care on our part. Needless to say, every second counts until the very last second of Ramadan. Everyone must have a plan going into Ramadan. You know your limitations and resources, so plan accordingly.
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace & blessings be upon him) came out one night to inform his companions of the actual night of Layltul Alqadr and because two companions were involved in an altercation, he was made to forget it. Therefore, we must overcome the diseases of the heart such jealousy, hatred, pride, insincerity and the actions they lead to if we are to truly benefit from Ramadan. Let us welcome Ramadan with peace, harmony, forgiveness and generosity.
Carry this on until the end of Ramadan and inculcate this into our daily lives thereafter.
May Allah bless us and accept from us all. Amen.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
6. A prophet that was thought to be God
8. The first doctor in Islam
10. The shortest Surah in the Quran 11. The book of Dawood
12. The name of the prophet's first wife 13. Impurity
14. The first Khalif
18. The Qiblah resides in this city 19. The night of a thousand months
Down
1. The duty of the prophets 2. uOttawa SITE
3. Name of Uomsa's President 4. The day of judgment 5. The prophet's city 7. The key to Jannah 9. Forbidden
14. The language of the Quran 15. He who leads a prayer 16. Middle Salah
17. The colour...
20. The sunnah of breaking fast is to start with this
22. Struggle
23. All of the Muslims 26. Associating with Allah 28. What bees produce 29. The prophet's cousin
30. The name of Main Mosque's Imam
31. Mandatory 33. Friday
21. Innovation
24. The mountain that loves Muslims 25. The end of life
27. The chapter of the Quran 31. A salah that angels witness 32. Interest
33. Made of Fire 34. Verse
35. What Muslims engage in during Ramadan
36. The number of Khalifs 37. Islamic Rulings
38. This life Across
Editor’s Note
Salamoualaikoum dear readers! Welcome to the first issue of the UOMSA Times. As you can see, this is going to be a wonderful addition to uOttawa's MSA, inshallah. That being said, we can't do this without you! We are looking for sister and brothers who are interested in writing articles, poems, and personal pieces or even including art work every single month.
Each month will have a new theme in which you can base your work, or if you would like to simply submit work regardless of theme we can publish them as needed. Next month's theme will be
"Post Ramadan". Please send in all work to [email protected].
Inshallah this can be an excellent way for all of us to learn and develop, not only as Muslims, but as brothers and sisters, students and members of the community.
-
Lynn Chalati
Sheikh’s Corner
Some of the most difficult parts on living in Western society as a young Muslim student are having questions and a lack of, or even, no answers. We’ve found a solution! In a section of UOMSA Times, you can anonymously send in questions and have local sheikhs and imams answer your questions!
Please send in all your questions to [email protected].
Jazakom Allah khair.
